Our Family History
Michael FLAHERTY
Abt 1810 - Abt 1859 (~ 49 years)
Abt 1815 - Abt 1879 (~ 64 years)
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Name Michael FLAHERTY Birth Abt 1810 Castleisland, County Kerry, Ireland 
Gender Male Death Abt 1859 La Salle, LaSalle, Illinois, United States [1] Burial Saint Vincent Cemetery LaSalle, LaSalle, Illinois, United States Person ID I322356264174 Winnie Paul Scanlan Last Modified 16 Jul 2022
Family Julia CAHILL, b. Abt 1815, County Kerry, Ireland d. Abt 1879, La Salle, LaSalle, Illinois, United States (Age ~ 64 years) Children 1. Mary FLAHERTY, b. 1838, La Salle, LaSalle, Illinois, United States d. 30 Dec 1888, La Salle, LaSalle, Illinois, United States (Age 50 years)2. Bridget FLAHERTY, b. 1843, Ladd, Bureau, Illinois, United States d. 15 Jan 1891, La Salle, LaSalle, Illinois, United States (Age 48 years)+ 3. Ellen FLAHERTY, b. 4 Dec 1844, Lowell, LaSalle County, Illinois, United States d. 28 Mar 1939, La Salle, LaSalle, Illinois, United States (Age 94 years)4. Michael J. FLAHERTY, b. Abt 1846, La Salle, LaSalle, Illinois, United States d. 5 Sep 1909, Nance, Nebraska, United States (Age ~ 63 years)5. Patrick F FLAHERTY, b. Abt 1848, Peru, LaSalle, Illinois, United States d. 7 Jun 1899, La Salle, LaSalle, Illinois, United States (Age ~ 51 years)6. John FLAHERTY, b. 23 Feb 1848, Peru, LaSalle, Illinois, United States d. 8 Oct 1905 (Age 57 years)7. Daniel Joseph FLAHERTY, b. Abt 1850, Bureau, Illinois, United States, d. 12 Jan 1914, Ladd, Bureau, Illinois, United States (Age ~ 64 years)8. Johannes FLAHERTY, b. Abt 1852, New York, United States d. Yes, date unknown9. Fr. James J. FLAHERTY, b. Abt 1853, Illinois, United States d. 21 Jan 1922, La Salle, LaSalle, Illinois, United States (Age ~ 69 years)Last Modified 16 Jul 2022 Family ID F95 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Event Map 
Death - Abt 1859 - La Salle, LaSalle, Illinois, United States 
Burial - - Saint Vincent Cemetery LaSalle, LaSalle, Illinois, United States = Link to Google Earth Pin Legend 
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Notes - Michael was born in County Kerry, Ireland. He was a youth during the time when England was trying to discipline the Irish by banning and outlawing education and worship. As a result, what he learned had to be gotten secretly in what was called the "hedge school." that is, the teacher and a few boys hid in the hedges which were prevalent in Ireland to sneak in a few classes when they weren't being watched by the "peelers" (police). The meeting location of the classes was changed frequently to prevent the "peelers" from learning about the schooling which would mean arrest and prosecution of the participants.
The final decision to leave Ireland, County Kerry (around 1845), came during the famine (1845-1847) when even the potato crop rotted in the fields due to a blight of some type. the trip to the United States was made in leaky old sail boats; a six week journed in good weather. They traveled streeage, that is, crowded like beasts in the hold of the boat which was overrun with rat and vermen. They had to bring along their own food. The water was rationed. Naturally many died and were buried at sea. It was only the hardy who withstood the hardship and survived the trip.
It is believed these people landed in New Orleans and went up the Mississippi River branched onto the Illinois River and arrived at Peru Illinois which lies on the norther banks of the Illinois River. They settled on a farm about six miles northwest of Peru. The land (goverment owned) was either homesteaded or bought. It is believed the latter, though where or how he earned enough money to make the down payment is not known. The land was stony. They had to plow, lift the stones by hand to form fences and clear the stumps of what had been woodland. That farm now forms part of the town of Ladd, Illinois. It seems that mining companies purchased the Michal Flaherty farm and the farm next to it (the John Scanlan Farm) and started the town of Ladd on the road that divided the two farms.
He had at least two sisters - Betrty Shea and Bridget Cahill.
He died when his oldest son, Michael, was 13 years old (about 1859) leaving him breadwinner of the large family, with the admonition that his brothers Pat and John (the twins) were to have land; his brother Dan, an education, and "make a Priest of the baby" (brother James). Irish daughters were never given a share in the estate so they had to marry and make homes for their families.
Michael was buried in St Vincent Cemetery, LaSalle, Illinois
Michael Flaherty
1810-1859
This story is from the Flaherty Family History compiled by Donald James Flaherty around 1966
- Michael was born in County Kerry, Ireland. He was a youth during the time when England was trying to discipline the Irish by banning and outlawing education and worship. As a result, what he learned had to be gotten secretly in what was called the "hedge school." that is, the teacher and a few boys hid in the hedges which were prevalent in Ireland to sneak in a few classes when they weren't being watched by the "peelers" (police). The meeting location of the classes was changed frequently to prevent the "peelers" from learning about the schooling which would mean arrest and prosecution of the participants.
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